NATIONAL VIDEO

Families keep the faith as Charlie Company deploys

First stop is Mississippi, then Afghanistan

Charlie Company leaves for training

Buses carrying more than 100 members of Charlie Company pulled away from the National Guard Armory on Alta Vista Road as the soldiers leave for training.

TOM REED/The Times

Nicholas Zamora prepares to board a bus with the rest of Charlie Company, part of the Georgia National Guard's 48th Brigade, for the trip to Mississippi for training and then deployment to Afghanistan.

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Friends and family cheered as buses carrying more than 100 men of Charlie Company, a Gainesville-based Army National Guard unit headed to Afghanistan, pulled away from the National Guard Armory on Monday morning.

As the bus drivers honked their horns, spectators yelled their last well wishes and displayed signs bearing messages such as "Our prayers go with you" and "Rock steady."

Plenty of tears were shed, as well, as families separated for what will be two months of final training at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center in Mississippi and 10 months of deployment in Afghanistan.

"We’re looking forward to the four-day pass in Mississippi (in May)," said Christy Flynn, who watched with her three children, ages 8 to 12, as the bus carrying her husband, Staff Sgt. Michael Flynn, passed by.